A Study of Malnutrition Status of Pregnant Women in Dalit Community

Abstract

This study focuses on "A Study of Malnutrition Status of Pregnant Women in Dalit Community"of Ramkot VDC,Kathmandu District. The main aim of this study was to find out the existing nutritional status of pregnant women of the study area. The study was quantitative as well as descriptive in nature.The study was mainly based on primary source of data. Descriptive research design was adopted for study.This study was conducted among the total number of 120 pregnant women. They were selected by simple random sampling, questionnaire related to family background which was used to collect the necessary information.82.5 percentof respondents were found illiterate, where as the percentage of literate respondents were found 17.5 percent.To make a diving, the different sources ofincome had been found some respondents were dependent on their farming. The source of income from the laboure is high 65 percent, 28.3 percent were farming and the minorities of the 67 percent were found job holders. Regarding the occupation of the respondents, hundred percent of respondents were engaged in housewife.The respondents havingdal only added to their usual foods were 5 percent,15 percent of respondents added only tarkari in their regular meal in addition to ricemost of respondents having bothdal and tarkari in their meal were 60 percent, 20 percentage were found having some other things in addition to rice.The respondents having food thrice aday were 66.6 percentage, four times a day were 16.6 percent and two times isa day were also 16.6 percent. It has been found that the majority of respondents had their food thrice a day.Most of respondents (97.5 percent)were found having sexual relationship in this period and 2.5 percentages were not found having sexual relationship in this period.50 percent respondents were suffering from oedema. The researcher had found thatthe respondents not suffering from the odema problem were also same(50%). The majority the respondents 55.8 percent were suffering from the problem of vasricosaand the respondents not suffering from the problem of varicose is 44.2 percent. In conclusion regarding complication in previous pregnancy out of 90 respondents,the majority of respondents 30 percent were facing problem of lower abdomen painand the minority of respondents 0.8 percent were facing from the headache in thepregnancy period.